Una Pecora in Vestiti del Lupo
by Pomodoro Crisi
Summary: "A sheep in wolves clothing." Lovino had to protect his brother, because if he didn't they were all going to die. Eventual Spamano. Rating may go up.
1. Firenze: Prologue

Una pecora in vestiti del lupo

Prologue

Firenze, 1474

Lovino Vargas was relatively happy with his life. It was quiet, easy, and ridiculously simple. Che, yeah right.

He lived with his nonno, a sun-weathered man who seemed timeless to him no matter how old he got. He firmly believed that his nonno would end up living far longer than he ever did. His younger brother also lived with him, happy and altogether carefree as a naïve child. Lovino loved him with all his heart and had sworn to their parents to protect him if anything should happen to them. Of course, bad luck withstanding, a few weeks later, promise still fresh in his mind, a group of protestors to the work contributed by the Vargas family to what the adults called the Rinascimento captured and killed his parents. Crimes against the church, they claimed. A family friend, an old partner - though he didn't know in what - of his nonno had had the murderers tried and executed. Still, it left Lovino with his nonno and Feliciano, two people he had to care for on his own.

Personally, he didn't really mind caring for his relatives, family is everything after all. But he made a fuss and threw tantrums about it, if only to show some kind of emotion every once in a while.

His nonno, a man whom everyone called Roma on account of his victory in some war or other in Roma - or some such nonsense, Lovino never paid attention to things like that - was a part of the forefront of painters and writers of the Rinascimento. His work was wanted by all of Italia, basically funding their lifestyle - and causing religious protests with increasing frequency. His friend usually kept them from harm, but it was always good to be on guard.

Feliciano wanted to be just like Roma - without the fighting since he frequently ran away from anything even resembling a conflict - and was a stunning artist for his age. He had even been recruited to paint for new chapels around Italia, something Lovino found entirely too ironic to be a coincidence.

He spent most of his time fighting Feliciano's fights for him. Why anyone would want to hurt Feli, he'd never understand, but as long as he could keep his fratello safe, he was happy.

Ah, dio, what he wouldn't give to have Feli be safe forever.

And, of course, once again, his bad luck would catch up with him and his whole life would change. For better or for worse, he did not know, but he suddenly had far more people to protect than just his little brother.

* * *

**Alrighty so this is an idea I've had for a while and I have the first real chapter done but I wanted to see what people thought first. So yeah, it's an Assassin's Creed parody, and there will eventually be Spamano, Gerita and maybe Roman Empire/Germania. I'll most likely put up the next chapter once I finish writing chapter 2.**

**I really hope someone likes this...  
**


	2. Firenze: Chapter 1

_Una pecora in vestiti del lupo_

_Chapter 1_

_Firenze, 1476_

Lovino sighed tiredly, blowing chestnut hair from his olive eyes. There was no way he could make it through today, he was already too exhausted and mass had only just ended. Perhaps Feli would take care of dinner this time, just this once.

"Lovi! I'm going to find some new paints! _Nonno_ is out so it's up to you for dinner! _Ciao!_" A door slammed and he was alone.

Brilliant.

How much paint did Feliciano need? He went out for more every few days and always came back past dark when everyone was asleep - or pretending to be in Lovino's case. He understood how much Feli had been painting lately, but wasn't there a limit?

He sighed again, knowing it didn't matter as long as Feliciano was safe and happy. And he was, _si_? _Si_, very happy. He practically glowed, now that he thought about it. It was annoying how Feli acted compared to his appearance. He and Lovino were twins, only slight differences telling them apart, so Feliciano looked nearly twenty-one, but he behaved the same as he did as a child, all energy and exuberance. It suited him, though, just as Lovino's sullen attitude and tantrums suited him - or so he'd been told.

He ran a hand through his hair as he got up, heading for the fireplace to start his dinner. Feli would eat out and _Nonno _never ate with them, since he was either painting or showing his friend the sights _Firenze_ had to offer. Lovino didn't like _Nonno's_ friend very much, he was too silent and his blond hair stood out like a sore thumb amidst the browns and blacks of _Firenze's _denizens. His blue eyes were like ice, cutting through him every time he looked his way. Plus he had brought along his grandsons, only slightly older than himself and Feli, which meant _Nonno_ expected them to get along. They didn't.

Or rather, Lovino didn't. He hated them. Ludwig, with his smoothed back hair and slightly less icy eyes that were still far too hard for his pleasure and followed him every time they came for dinner. He stared at Feli the most, as if confused as to what the boy was exactly. That usually ended up with Lovino yelling at him and Roma clapping with joy that they were getting along. Gilbert was slightly more tolerable, though it was only because he didn't stare at Feli quite as much. He watched girls as they sauntered by, some stopping to chat, drawn by Gilbert's 'exotic' - Gilbert's opinion, not his; to him he looked quite like a ghost - hair and eyes. His eyes were red like a rat's and his hair the palest gray. He was only twenty-five, which made him interesting in the eyes of the women, and his accent when he spoke the native tongue of Italia - thick and, in Lovino's opinion, annoying - made them swoon in delight.

They were stupid, annoying and…German! He did not understand how his _Nonno_ could be friends with someone so…uncivilized. How had they even met, he wanted to know.

Lovino sliced his meat easily, vegetables and herbs next, dropping it all in a pot along with some salt and seasoning and set it over the now roaring fire. It was hot around the fire, sweat trickling down his face in small rivulets. He wanted to remove his shirt, the cuffs becoming too bothersome as sweat spread along his arm, but a girl could always come to visit and it would be rude, not to mention distasteful, to answer a knock shirtlass. And Lovino was nothing, if not impeccable with the fair sex.

Sure enough, he had just taken out a ceramic bowl for him meal when an urgent knock sounded at the door.

He quickly moved the pot from the fire so as not to ruin the meal and answered the continuous knocking. Ludwig stood in the doorway, face in its usual business mask. He looked more wound up than usual, his eyes quite a bit closer to his grandfather's. Lovino tried to hide the shiver that ran down his spine with a sneer.

"_Bastardo, che cosa vuoi?"_

"You need to come with me. Now." Lovino blinked at him.

"_Perche? Dov'e Feli? _Aren't you supposed to be watching him?"

"_Ja_, he's with Gilbert, he's safe. You just need to follow me."

"Not until I eat, _idiota,_ I finished dinner."

Ludwig's eyes hardened further and he pulled Lovino out the door. "No time. You can eat later."

"_Che? Cosa è successo?"_ Ludwig sighed.

"Roma and Opa have been arrested for something. Roma ordered that you and Feliciano be brought to a safe house, in case they choose to arrest you as well."

Lovino blinked. "_Non…Non capisco… Come…"_

Ludwig grabbed his hand, pulling him even though he didn't remember stopping. How… What? Roma, arrested? It didn't make sense. And Feli…was he going to be alright? He was the closest to Roma, almost never leaving is side.

Lovino remained in a daze until he was pushed through a door and greeted by a crying Feli and a frantic Gilbert trying to calm him down. The albino looked at the older Vargas for help but Lovino was too numb to help at the moment, still trying to process the very idea of Roma being imprisoned. And along with Augustus. Even the small comfort that he had a friends - a very influential friend, at that - with him could not remove one iota of his fear. It was like his parents all over again.

He was helpless. He was stuck hiding and could not do a single thing to help. He was useless. He'd failed to protect his family, again.

"Gilbert." He did not recognize his own voice. It was sure and carried an authority he had never known himself to possess. Strength and confidence belied his inner turmoil. It silenced the room, Feliciano freezing as he clung to Ludwig and sobbed. He would have to complain about that another time.

"_Ja?"_ No snaky retort. Gilbert was curious.

"Can you get me to Roma's cell? I need to speak with him as soon as possible." What exactly he was going to say, he had no idea, but his gut told him he needed to see Roma and he was sick of always sitting idle.

Gilbert thought for a moment, obviously running through the safety of taking Lovino to the prison and what would happen if he didn't. if he refused, Lovino would simply go alone, and probably die trying.

"_Ja._ I have a friend inside who can maybe let us in for a few moments. It will be risky… Are you positive you need to speak with him?"

"_Si. E 'molto improtante." _

"All right kid, but you better be careful."

_~Pomodoro~_

Lovino pulled himself up to the bared window of Roma's cell, not even slightly worried that the friend - a French guard who was more than happy to see Gilbert and a bit too friendly for Lovino's tastes - had led them to the wrong cell as a trap. There was singing from inside. Only Roma or Feliciano would sing while in prison. By the sound of it, Augustus was sharing the cell, poor man.

"Oi, _Nonno!_" Lovino called in as loud as a voice he could without being heard by a guard, thought the Frenchman had said he could keep them away long enough for them to talk.

A head in the gloom past the bars turned toward him, his _Nonno's_ eyes still bright with happiness in the dark.

"Ah! _Mio nipote!_ Lovi! _Come stai?_ _"_

He could hear Augustus smack Roma on the head for the stupid question. A flood of whining in both Italian and German following.

"_Nonno_, why are you here? What did you do?" Lovino was surprised that his fear was clear in his voice once again. He had been in command since leaving with Gilbert, why must he lose his control now?

"Ahaha…I didn't so anything, this time. I have a feeling we have been betrayed, Lovino."

"_Che? Non capisco. _Betrayed by whom?"

"A very old friend of mine seems to have been corrupted by greed. But no worries, we'll be released in the morning."

Gilbert poked his head up at that, smirking as if he were not speaking to two men in jail.

"Francis says that they are holding a trial in the morning, that the verdict is already decided."

"_Favoloso! _We will be with you for dinner then!"

"Er…" and here Gilbert's smirrk vanished, sending ice through Lovino's veins. "It isn't exactly a _good_ verdict…"

"Ah. Well then, it seems I must leave my grandson something, him being the eldest. Gilbert, please step down for a moment, this is a secret, _si?"_

Gilbert did as asked, probably out of respect for Roma's suddenly serious tone. It was enough to sober anyone.

"Lovino, I need you to listen carefully. In the safe house, there is a passage behind the shelves in the drawing room. Inside there is a trunk. You must take everything in it. You will figure out the rest on your own, but you mustn't tell anyone where you got it. _Capsce?_"

"_Si. _But what about Feli?"

"Don't let Feli know what you are doing. He will be upset enough. He may want to help, but you must leave him in the care of Ludwig and Gilbert." Lovino opened his mouth to protest, but Roma shushed him. "No complaints."

"_Si, Nonno…"_

Augustus spoke next, voice as emotionless as always.

"Lovino, tell Gilbert that if your safety is compromised, you must flee to our villa. He will know where to go." Lovino nodded. "Also, be sure Ludwig and Gilbert know I will miss them." Again, a nod.

"Be careful, Lovino. And protect Feliciano with all your strength. _Ti amo. Mi mancherai._" There was a voice somewhere behind them. "Go. Now."

Lovino nodded solemnly and left.

_~Pomodoro~_

"Ve…_Fratello,_ is Roma all right?"

Feliciano lifted his head from its place on Ludwig's lap much to Lovino's chagrin, to gaze at them sleepily. Apparently crying was a tiresome thing, no wonder he refused to do it. Lovino flinched at the sadness reflected back through his brother's eyes. There happened to be an inhuman amount of trust there, as well as a surprisingly new emotion he had never seen in little Feli before. He was determined. He would take the news, good or bad, and deal with it as best he could. It was a welcome idea, if not all too nice given the circumstances.

"_Si_, he is all right…" Technically it wasn't a lie. Roma was fine, he just happened to be facing his execution in a the morning.

Feliciano looked happy, though he could tell he wasn't being given all the information. He hardened his features, a slightly off imitation of the man sitting next to him, and stared at his brother. Lovino heard Gilbert chuckle behind him, muttering something that sounded like cute.

"He may be in some danger…" He gave, evading the subject by a slight centimeter.

"_Quanto?_"

"Some… Nothing he hasn't been in before…"

"_Fratello_."

Damn Feli could be scary. He was spending way too much time with Ludwig.

He opened his mouth, trying to force the words out through a parched throat. He couldn't just blurt it out to Feli like that, he had to have some kind of…something to soften the blow.

"Roma and Augustus are going to be executed!"

Unlike Gilbert, who seemed to think the idea of yelling bad news was astounding. Lovino glanced nervously at Feliciano, waiting for the tears to start.

His Ludwig-like expression was gone, replaced by something between shock and horror. The only clue that he was even alive still was the slow rise and fall of hiss small chest. Damn it. Gilbert had broken Feli.

Before he could move to strangle Gilbert, Ludwig was in his place and Gilbert was on the floor in very obvious pain. _Merda,_ that bastard could punch.

"Oi! What the hell did you do the for _Westen_?" Gilbert started to get up. A booted foot pressed gently on his chest to keep him down.

"You should know why. You can't blurt crap like that out, not to Feliciano. Now apologize."

_Merda._ Lovino backed as far away from Ludwig as the wall would allow, holding his breath. And he had thought Ludwig was scary when he was yelling. The look in his eyes reminded him why Roma had put him in charge of Feli.

"Why should I? I just told the truth instead of skipping around it like a pansy." Apparently Gilbert was unaffected.

The boot pressed harder, pain coming into Gilbert's red eyes for the first time. As long as Lovino had known him anyway.

"All right, all right. I'm sorry Feli." Feliciano remained still on the couch. "Sorry those _puttani _can't just give people news."

Ludwig's foot was suddenly gone, Gilbert now face to face with his younger, and mucch larger, brother.

"Excuse me? I didn't hear you."

"I said, you _puttani_ cant give people news. You skirt around it instead of letting people deal with the truth"

For Gilbert's credit, he met Ludwig's murderous stare dead on.

"You call _that_ dealing with it?" He pointed to Feliciano who had yet to move.

"Yes. And in case you hadn't noticed, I said _Opa_ was going to be executed as well. Why don't you show a little familial concern instead of worrying about these brats all day?"

"I have plenty of 'familial concern,' but unlike you, I don't have to push off my anger by hurting someone else. Now, you have one minute to get out of my sight before you join _Herr Roma _and _Opa _tomorrow."

"I'd like to see you try, you-"

"Shut the fuck up!"

The two Germans turned to see Feliciano standing now, fists clenched at his sides and eyes radiating sadness and anger.

"Feli-" Ludwig tried to reach out to the boy but he moved out of reach.

"how can you two be fighting at a time like this?" Lovino watched, shock keeping him from doing more than stare in confusion, as the quiet and timid Feliciano he knew melted into a raging hurricane of anger. "Your _nonno_ is going to be hung, you don't even know why, yet you're threatening to kill each other. You should be thinking of ways to help them, instead of wallowing in grief and acting like children."

Lovino's eyes traveled between the three, wondering if they were as shocked as he was. Judging from their blank stares, they were worse off than himself.

"Now, if you will all shut up, I'm going to bed so hopefully I'll be able to think without someone yelling in my ear."

He gave Lovino a very pointed look, telling him either to behave or fix this, and left for the stairs.

A stunned silence filled the room. Everyone stared firmly at the ground, feeling guilty and more than a little sorry for themselves.

Gilbert was the first to move, breaking Ludwig's grip on his shirt to turn and leave, sending one slightly apologetic look at his brother before closing the door quietly. Ludwig left next, going up the stairs to presumably watch over Feliciano, whether he liked it or not.

Lovino moved at last, heading straight for the drawing room. Unfortunately, there were several shelves and Roma didn't tell him _how_ to get to the passage. It took a good hour before he finally pulled a thick volume encased in leather, the name Da Vinci was carved into it and he recognized it as a gift from one of his parents' friends, and the shelves slid away to reveal a dark passage of stairs the led off into the dark. A row of torches lined the revoltingly wet stone walls, the little light they would give not comforting Lovino in the least. But this was for Roma and Feliciano, so he lit one of the torches and headed into the darkness. He only prayed there wasn't a demon filled pit at the end.

_~Pomodoro~_

The stairs led to a long corridor, dotted with spiders and the occasional rat. It was pretty straight forward from there. The corridor opened into a wide room with only a few shelves, most of which were bare, and a rather large chest. Figuring he shouldn't be needing any congealed slime, or whatever it was in that green jar, Lovino quickly opened the chest and examined the contents.

He was disappointed, to say the least. He had been expecting some kind of proof to help Roma, something he could show to the _polizia_ and help him. Instead he found a cape, a few admittedly impressive belts, a hooded tunic, and, to his great pleasure, a sword. At least that he could use. The rest…it didn't seem very important, but he had been told to bring all of it.

He hefted the chest to his bed chamber with a few minor problems, one being dropping the cursed thing on his foot and almost biting through his lip to keep from screaming. Even through his boot, the thing was heavy. Feliciano stuck his head out for a second at the thump, but said nothing if he thought it strange. Lovino forced himself to remain silent when Ludwig's voice called from beyond the door and his brother left with a slightly guilty glace at Lovino. He just…didn't want to know.

With the chest firmly placed on his bed, Lovino set about putting the clothing on over his own. The tops of his collar stuck out over the tunic and the belt impressive belts were confusing as hell, but after a few minutes that felt far longer and a couple muffled curses when the belt that held the cape on got caught in his curl, Lovino was dressed and ready to…do whatever it was Roma wanted him to do.

Which was…what, exactly? He knew he had to protect Feli, but a costume did not a protector make. And really, what was the point of wearing so many belts? It was dammed difficult to walk and most of them seemed ornamental, at best. The clasp on one looked like a simple loop, though it was interesting and captured his eye for longer than necessary. It served no purpose though, except to get in the way. Which still gave him no idea of how to help Roma.

Lovino threw the chest at the wall, not particularly caring when something smashed against the floor. What did it matter if he broke a few things? His _Nonno_ was going to die in a few hours time and he was just as powerless as he had been when his parents were killed. He would always be this, an idiotic boy pretending he could help people when he just ruined everything he touched. It was time he owned up to that little fact and just gave up. He couldn't help Roma, he wouldn't be able to help Feli if anything should happen, he was useless.

A short knock sounded on the door, alerting him only seconds before it opened. Gilbert's white hair peaked through, his eyes wide with curiosity. He smiled sardonically at the mess littering the floor.

"_Che?"_

"You throwing another fit?"

Lovino felt his face flush. His tantrums were something of a novelty. He usually managed to break or throw everything in whichever room he happened to be in. should he be outside…well, he'd had a few run-ins with their neighbors.

"No, I'm just…redecorating. This place is horrid." _Dio,_ that didn't even sound convincing to him.

"Uh huh. And you are playing dress-up why?"

He really wished he didn't blush quite as much as he did, it was hard to lie with your face burning.

"It's not dress-up. It's the stupid clothes _Nonno_ wanted me to get, _bastardo._"

Gilbert's eyes dragged over him clinically, spending extra time on the belt with the odd buckle. Lovino felt his cheeks grow hotter and swore quietly. Of course, he covered his embarrassment with anger.

"E-Enjoying the view, _idiota?_"

_Cazzo,_ he wasn't supposed to stutter. Gilbert's grin simply grew.

"You wish, _libeling._ Sadly, I'm just trying to figure out why you are wearing that belt."

"_Che?_ Why shouldn't I? _Nonno_ said to get the shit out of his secret room so he must want me to wear this garbage."

"It's not garbage, moron, it's the symbol of the assassins. My _Opa_ had one just like it at home. He said I'd get it one day, though I'm not sure if that will ever happen now…" He had said assassin as if it were another common occupation, like a painter or a banker.

"So…Roma wants me to follow him…as an assassin?"

"Pretty much."

Lovino felt his heart stutter a bit at the casual way Gilbert - and apparently Roma - thought he would agree to killing people. Sure, he could fight, Roma had taught him all his life, promising he would need it one day. But he couldn't kill someone, not really. He didn't have that kind of ability or whatever it was that allowed someone to take a life. It was against God to kill a man. If Roma told him to though…didn't he have to listen? Wasn't that another commandment? To honor your father and mother? That included your grandfather and doing what he said.

_Merda_, so that was how he was supposed to be helping. It was already too late for Roma and Augustus, but Lovino could avenge their deaths, killing the one responsible. _Merda._

_~Pomodoro~_

The sky seemed to mock the somber group as they marched resolutely to the _piazza_ where trials, or lack thereof, were held. A large stage had been erected, two ropes dangling innocently from the beam that ran over the top of the stage. A large crowd had come to watch. Most were whispering anxiously to each other, possibly wondering what a renowned artist and his supposed bodyguard had done to warrant execution. No one speculated whether or not there would be one, just why there was a need. The people of _Firenze_ had long since given up trying to understand the republic's system of government, it was too tiresome and if one kept their nose clean, one had nothing to fear. Or so they had thought.

Roma was a war hero and a respectable citizen. He provided for his family and created works of art for anyone, even going so far as to give some away for next to nothing. He was a good man. As was Augustus, as much as Lovino was loath to admit it. But as they were led to their places on stage, a cruel mockery of the _teatre_, they looked the common criminal. Dressed in their ragged clothing - obviously they had resisted quite wholeheartedly to arrest - their normally strong stature seemed less so. There was still a confident set to Roma's shoulders and a look in his eye that told the men that were there to oversee their deaths that this was not over. Augustus caught the eyes of his grandsons with his usual look of indifference, but Ludwig and Gilbert both nodded stiffly so some kind of magic must have gone on before Lovino's eyes. Still, despite their grace and confidence, they seemed shells of their former selves. Ghosts sent in their place.

It was disheartening sight.

Feliciano clung to Ludwig's arm in tearful desperation as the crier came forth, a large scroll in his pudgy hands. He read the charges, some dribble made up on the spot if the tightening of Ludwig's jaw was anything, and as he announced the verdict Lovino heard his _Nonno_ shout over the obnoxiously loud crier. Most of the words were swallowed by the distance and other voices, but it was enough to catch the basic message.

They were to go to Antonio, whoever that was, immediately.

Ludwig started to lead Feliciano away from the scene, trying to soothe the muffled cries of the boy. Lovino and Gilbert watched, almost hearing a drum roll, though it may have been their hearts, as a man in armor pulled a lever and Roma and Augustus dropped quickly…

And promptly fell straight to the ground, removing the loops from their necks as they made a desperate bid for the crowded streets beyond the _piazza_.

Lovino heard Gilbert's whoop of joy as if from a distance, so focused was he on deciphering what had just happened. Roma…escaped. He watched in shock as the crowd swallowed the pair, guards still chasing after them angrily. He still didn't understand what had just happened, but when a guard started to make his way to where he and Gilbert were standing, Lovino wasted no time grabbing Gilbert's arm and sprinting after his brother and the German bastard.

_~Pomodoro~_

They mentioned nothing of the escape to the other two. Mainly because Lovino suspected Ludwig already knew and Feliciano would go running off to look for them. And while he wanted to do just that himself, Roma had given Lovino specific instructions to protect Feli. It was only a matter of time before soldiers came for them, either to lure Roma back or to kill them in their grandfathers' place. They had to leave now or risk ruining whatever Roma had planned. Because one could not execute an escape from execution without a plan. Just as one did not give their grandson the outfit of an assassin without telling him what it was for or why he should even bother.

_Merda,_ it was possible Roma had no plan at all and just thought this all a fun game. Lovino wouldn't put it past him. Feliciano had to get his capriciousness from someone, after all.

It took several hours, with Ludwig and Gilbert taking shifts to stand watch, to pack up everything they could carry in order to set out. The Italian brothers had no clue where they were going, but Ludwig led the way, Feliciano still sniffling into his sleeve. Gilbert, in testament to his seriousness, took up the back, staring down anyone who got too close. He was also scanning the crowd for a stray curl or a wisp of purest blond.

Ludwig managed to procure two horses once they past through the gates - it had taken Feliciano's ease with all things female to convince a few girls to distract the sentries long enough for them to pass by - despite Gilbert's 'help.' The man had attempted to sweet talk the owner's daughter into giving them all four horses for free. It was only Ludwig's quick and precise way of negotiating that kept the man from forcing then to walk through _Toscana_. It was possible he may have frightened the man into leaving his brother alone, but the deed was done and they were on their way so there was no point arguing.

There was, however, a point at arguing when Ludwig decided that Feliciano should sit in front of him on the horse. It looked obscene for the German to have his arms around the slim boy. At least, it did to Lovino.

"Oi, _bastardo,_ you better not be touching Feli inappropriately up there." Lovino yelled from his place behind Gilbert on the second horse. He refused to put his hands anywhere near the albino, crossing them resolutely over his chest. It had slowed their escape to a slow trot and, though Ludwig and Gilbert said nothing, there was a serious possibility of the guards coming after them soon. At this rate, they would make it to _Monteriggioni_ by nightfall, but by then, they were sure to have been found.

"Ve, _fratello,_ we're just riding a horse… You should try to be nicer to Ludwig. He stayed with me all last night and he even bought me something to eat so I wouldn't see _Nonno_…"

Damn it, he could practically hear the tears in Feliciano's voice.

"_Si, si_. Whatever you say, _idiota,_ but don't let him spend the night in your room again. He'll probably rape you."

"Ve, but, Lovi, we already -"

The clatter of hooves on the rocks cut off the last of his sentence. Ludwig stiffened and spurred the horse onwards at a gallop. Gilbert started to do the same, but Lovino fell off the rear and he had to turn around. He was just climbing back on when the soldiers reached them.

A sword cut the very tip of a lock of Gilbert's hair as the guards moved to circle their horse. Of course, with nothing to defend with, the pair had every reason to fear, but Gilbert had a slightly better idea.

"Lovino, hold on tight!"

"_Che?_ No way, _idiota_, I won't fucking touch you!"

"Lovino, I swear to God if you don't hold on to me right now, I will leave you hear for these morons to use as they please."

_Merda_ he actually sounded serious for once…

"Don't try anything funny, _bastardo_."

Lovino complied, locking his arms around the man with just enough time for Gilbert to force the horse to tempt fate and leap over, blades and all, the soldier in front of them. It caused enough confusion that they could see Ludwig and Feliciano's horse before they caught up. Regardless, it was enough of a start that they didn't need to worry for a while. After all, a horse burdened with a person covered in as much muscle as armor tired more quickly than one with even two people. Of course, Ludwig had just as much muscle, but his horse was marginally bigger than those of the soldiers.

The chase, however terrifying to Feliciano, allowed them to get to _Monteriggioni _so far ahead of schedule their host was not even at home.

The house, while not quite as extravagant as their house in _Firenze_, was just as big. Lovino could already see himself getting lost in the house's maze-like corridors. He didn't even have to guess, he just knew that by the end of the day he would be lost and that stupid blond bastard would be the one to find him. And the bastard would be laughing at him too, maybe not out loud, but on the inside he'd be dieing in laughter.

"Eh? Where's Toni? He said he'd be here." Gilbert looked around, confused and attention grabbing. People on the rain-washed street stared at him in curious amusement as he pouted and pushed on the door as if will alone would make Antonio appear.

"Ve? I thought we were meeting a friend of _Nonno's_. shouldn't he be home by now if he heard that…_Nonno _was…" Feliciano started to sob drawing a larger crowd to watch him pour his heart out to Ludwig's sleeve while a frantic Lovino hovered, at a loss for what to say.

One man, no older than Gilbert, stepped through the crowd. He looked concerned and a little too excited with Feliciano's tears for comfort. Lovino intercepted him before he touched his brother.

"_Oi, bastardo, non toccare mio fratello._"

The man stopped, his green eyes gazing down at him from the six inches or so he had over Lovino. He had dark, chocolate hair that complimented his skin in a way that the girls in _Firenze_ would swoon over. Lovino, however, was not deterred. Not even when rather soft looking lips curled to smile at him, revealing surprisingly perfect teeth. Where exactly had this man come from?

"Eh? _Non avevo intenzione di toccarlo. Volevo solo capine perché stava piangendo di fronte a casa mia._"

His accent was different, certainly not Italian, though not quite as foreign as Ludwig's or Gilbert's. It was actually very…soothing. Nice, in a way different from the way Lovino remembered their mother's voice. It brought color to his cheeks.

"You look like a tomato! So cute!"

Out went that image.

Lovino swore at the top of his lungs, cursing everyone related to the bastard that had dared to call him cute! He was strong and fierce! He was a man, damn it! The bastard didn't even have the presence of mind to look remorseful. He simply smiled away, happy as could be.

The yelling got rid of the crowd, citizens seeking shelter from the seemingly insane man, yet managed to attract Gilbert's attention. He left off his senseless beating of the poor door, which now looked ready to fall off its hinges, to stare tiredly at Lovino before his eyes grew bright and he leapt on the smiling stranger in glee.

"Oi! Toni! What took you so long? We almost died waiting for you!"

The stranger, Toni he guessed, laughed and pushed Gilbert off gently, his smile increasing if possible.

"_Hola _Gil. _Lo siento_ but I had to run to the market. With you all coming so suddenly I didn't have a chance to prepare properly."

Lovino blinked dumbly as the two embraced. What would this nosey idiot need to prepare for? And why was he embracing Ludwig as well? And leading them into the house where they were supposed to be meeting Antoni…oh.

_Merda!_ He did not want to live with this creep. He wanted his house in _Firenze_ with Roma and Augustus and Feli. Not this happy moron who would probably be clumsy and annoying and would end up getting someone killed. Not to mention his voice was so fantastic…lly annoying that he would surely burst an ear drum if he listened to it for more than a few years… or, rather seconds. Yes, seconds.

"Lovi!" His voice called from somewhere in the house, the use of his nickname setting his cheeks on fire once again. "Come in and eat with us! I bought extra tomatoes, just for you!"

Perhaps he could stay here for a few hours. For Feli's sake, of course.

* * *

**Translations:** _Bastardo, che cosa vuoi? - Bastard, what do you want?_

_Perche? Dov'e Feli? -Why? Where's Feli?_

_Che? Cosa è successo? - What? What happened?_

_Non…Non capisco… Come… - No... I don't understand... How..._

_Si. E 'molto improtante. - Yes. Very important._

_Mio nipote!_ Lovi! _Come stai? - My grandson! How are you?_

_Che? Non capisco. - What? I don't understand._

_Ti amo. Mi mancherai. - I love you. I'll miss you._

_Quanto? - How much?_

_Oi, bastardo, non toccare mio fratello. - Oi, bastard, don't touch my brother._

_Non avevo intenzione di toccarlo. Volevo solo capine perché stava piangendo di fronte a casa mia. - I wasn't going to touch him. I just wanted to know why he was crying in front of my house._

**Just ask me if you don't understand something else in here. I think I covered the ones that are less common in fanfics. Sorry if it's annoying, I was reading my Italian book through most of writing this out. The next chapter has less, though it's not even half way done yet...**_  
_

**That's all the patience I have for translations right now, since I'm half asleep and sore from the beach the other day. I went on a jet ski for the first time and almost fell off since my friend is a dang maniac! But I love him to death, so I forgave him for scaring the crap outta me. Also, I just found out that I'm allowed to go to Epcot with a bunch of my friends that I haven't seen since graduation for Hetalia Day on Sunday (we're celebrating early cause most of us have university on Monday). I had to clean most of my house to go, but it's so worth it! And it's free since my friend that put it together knows someone that works in Disney. Seriously, Florida sucks for education and all, but I love how close I am to Disney! Plus, I have Howl-O-Scream Saturday night, and Haunted House rehearsals and the Haunted House itself all next week. So yeah, I wanted to post this now so I don't feel quite as unproductive as I'm going to for the next week. **

**So, what is everyone else doing for Hetalia Day? Tell me! And I gives you awesome dust I stole from Prussia!  
**


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